"Dark Victory"

" Dark Victory", released in 1939, was a daring movie for its time. it depicted its heroine, Bette Davis, dying of a brain tumor.

The film blended romance and realism so successfully that it is still a model for movies about death and dying today. Bette Davis drew upon every mood she had ever expressed--insouciance, impatience, anger, passion, acquiescence.

She worked hard at the role, reveling in a story that, according to her account, she had actively campaigned for.

She also benefited greatly by the professional talents of director Edmund Goulding and screenwriter Casey Robinson and a supporting cast that included Humphrey Bogart.